


Some Fond Thought

by eatpie



Category: Free!
Genre: Cats, Falling In Love, M/M, They didn't grow up together AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-10
Updated: 2015-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-11 10:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3324689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eatpie/pseuds/eatpie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin and Kou want to adopt a cat for their mom's birthday, and they end up meeting the very helpful Tachibana-san at the cat shelter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Fond Thought

**Author's Note:**

> Done for the 2015 winter Free!shipping relay!  
> (I'm so so so terrible with titles, I'm so sorry - it's a line from Rossetti's poem "the love-letter")

The moment Rin walked in, he was done for.

\--

“This one, this is it,” Kou pointed at tall, narrow building with a large window. There was a large sign that said “adoptions” with a silhouette of cats playing with balls of yarn over the door.

Rin paused in front of the window even as Kou stepped through the front door. Behind the glass were three grey-striped kittens all eagerly chasing toys around the large, carpeted window-box.

The building was surprisingly spacious inside. A counter spanned the right side, and glass-front cages were set into the walls on the left. Each cage was a few feet wide, and each contained a cat. Most were kittens who enthusiastically knocked over food dishes or slept heavily on mis-matched knit blankets.

“Rin!” Kou called him over to the counter impatiently, and then turned back to the tall staff member who had been talking to her.

Rin walked towards them and looked the man up and down. He was taller than Rin himself, his shoulders stretched out the grey uniform shirt, and his short hair framed his face messily. Rin looked away quickly when the other man looked up and accidentally met his appraising eyes.

“I would really like to take one home today,” Kou was saying, and the attendant looked back down at her.

“Ok, what did you have in mind?” His smile was warm. And so cute – his eyes crinkled at the corners!

Rin tried to surreptitiously fix his bangs and was thankful that he'd decided to wear a new shirt.

“Well, we haven't bought a cat before – and it's for our mom anyway you know?” Kou explained, “we've moved out and I think she'd like the company.”

“Are you sure that she's ready for the commitment?” He asked cautiously.

“Yeah,” Rin cut in, “it's for her birthday sure, but she's been dropping hints since last year.”

Kou nodded in agreement, “did she send you the-”

“Nine minute video of the two Siamese?” Rin finished with a raised eyebrow, “yeah.”

He's looking at Rin with gentle amusement.

Rin flashes him a little grin, then immediately drops it. He didn't usually worry about his teeth freaking people out, but this guy just looked so vanilla and Rin didn't want to start out by scaring him.

He didn't seem startled, though, and turned to Kou when she started talking.

“I think she'd love a cuddly cat – can you tell that by breed?”

“Sometimes,” he nodded and started walking towards the opposite wall that was covered in windows full of cats, “but have you considered getting an adult cat?”

“No,” Kou follows him, “why?”

“Well,” he stopped in front of a row of windows with snoozing cats, “since they're grown up you know exactly what their personality is like. Kittens are all energetic at first and pretty friendly, but they can get grumpier over time.”

“That reminds me of someone,” Kou muttered and stared pointedly over her shoulder at Rin.

The attendant didn't hear her and continued, “they also don't have to be litter trained and generally cause less damage with scratching and everything. I can get any of them out if you want. We have an area upstairs for you to play with them.”

“Oh, I see, which ones do you think would suit her best?” Kou asked and stepped up to stand beside him.

Rin didn't hear the answer – he was too distracted by the other man's back. He _had_ to work out... Rin could see muscles move under his shirt as he pointed at various cats. And his laugh was so genuine. Rin was just considering how to get his number when Kou called his name again.

“ _Rin_ , oh my god, _pay attention_ ,” Kou had her hands on her hips.

Rin just rolled his eyes at her.

“So, I'd recommend Cornflower, Jack, or Jellybean,” the attendant politely powered through their sibling bickering, “they're all really friendly and well-trained.”

Rin was prepared to adopt any cat that he mentioned at this point.

“Ohhh, Cornflower is so pretty,” Kou looked in on a short-hared cat with a white body, a black-and-ginger mask, and large blue eyes, “oh, but what happened to her leg?”

“She had to have it amputated, but she's very cuddly, and because she's a short hair, she won't shed nearly as much. I'll get her in a crate if you two would like to head up the stairs? There's a play area up there and you can get to know her,” the attendant pointed towards a set of stairs, smiled, and then disappeared into a door that lead to an area behind the cages.

Rin followed Kou up the stairs.

“It would be nice,” she said, “if you could stop making eyes at Tachibana-san for maybe two seconds.”

“I'm not -”

“I just want to get mom something nice, ok?” Kou turned to look at him when they arrived in a bright, colourfull room, “she's been really lonely since we moved away for school.”

“What? She hasn't said anything to me,” Rin scoffed and picked up a feathery cat-toy.

“Of course she hasn't,” Kou sighed, “mom doesn't want you to feel bad about moving so far away and you're too obtuse to notice.”

Rin felt a stab of guilt and muttered, “see you don't have any problems telling me though.”

Before Kou could reply, Tachibana arrived with a meowing carrier.

“Here she is,” he smiled, closed the door behind him, and settled the carrier onto a mat nearer the far side of the room. He worked the carrier door open and instructed, “you should both sit down and let her come to you. She'll want to check out the room before anything else.”

Rin sat stiffly on a pillow, and Kou primly stacked two before sitting.

Cornflower stepped cautiously out of the carrier, looked up at Tachibana and dismissed him just as quickly. She daintily picked her way around the room, weaving between carpeted cat-towers, and scenting the air. She eventually arrived at Rin and stuck out her nose to sniff him.

“Offer her your hand,” Tachibana suggested.

Rin slowly put out his hand and Cornflower sniffed the tips of his fingers.

She promptly turned up her nose and stepped around him to trot up to Kou and push her head under the hand that Kou offered.

Rin watches as Tachibana sat across from Kou and hands her toys. Cornflower remainsed mostly interested in rubbing her head against Kou's hand and purring loudly. Rin listened to Tachibana explain that Cornflower was abandoned by her family and ended up here where the shelter had her leg amputated due to a complicated fracture and infection. His heart melted at the way Tachibana's eyes softened at Cornflower and how his large hand curved along her back gently.

“Rin,” she leaned over with shining eyes, “I think I'm in love!”

Rin snapped out of his daydreams, “huh what?”

“Cornflower!” Kou said, and Rin felt relieved, “she is so _darling_. I really, really want her.”

“Do you think that mom would like her?” Rin asked.

“Absolutely!” Kou nodded as Cornflower pushed her way onto Kou's lap.

Rin smiled slightly and shrugged, “then I guess we'll get her.”

Nearly half an hour later, they had sorted out all the paperwork and Rin was loaded up with cat food, a litter box, toys, and a cat bed. His arms were completely full and he was pretty sure that he'd end up dropping a catnip mouse on the street.

Kou stood to the side with Cornflower in her carrier and the paperwork tucked into her purse. Kou turned towards the door and called back, “I'm going to get her settled into the car.”

Rin's mind started racing. He was going to walk out of this pet shelter and never talk to Tachibana again. He couldn't think of a way to draw this out, or ask for his number. Would it be creepy to ask now? It was Tachibana's job to be nice! Maybe he thought Rin was a creep anyway.

“Um,” Tachibana looked a little nervous, shifting his weight from one foot to another and fiddling with some paper in his hands.

“Yeah?” Rin asked, trying to be cool while holding armfulls of cat miscellanea.

“If there's anything you have questions about,” his language turned formal as he bowed slightly and held out a slip of paper, “please contact me. I am more than happy to help.”

Rin stared down at him for a moment, throat tight and face red, “I – um-”

Tachibana raised his head quickly and apologized, “oh I'm sorry, this must be a bother so - “

“No! It's just – my arms are full – ”

“Oh, well, I'll just put it here then?” he tucked the folded piece of paper between some heart and star shaped toys on the top of the pile.

“Thank you,” Rin said, stuttering a bit, “er, for everything you know, with the cat and...” He took a deep breath, “I'm gonna go find my sister bye.” And with that he turned quickly on his heel and strode out of the store.

Kou was crouched outside the open backseat door where she was sticking her fingers through the carrier bars and murmuring at Cornflower. They piled the stuff in Rin's arms into the backseat beside her.

When they were on their way home again – with Kou driving – she looked over at him and asked, “what's up with you?”

Rin just covered his red, red face with his hands and let out a muffled, “nothing,” and felt the phone number burn in his pocket.

**Author's Note:**

> I have ideas to continue it if there's anyone who wants it continued. I don't have a LOT of time, so if no-one likes this much I will focus on my other fics haha
> 
> you can find me on tumblr at eatpienotwar - i love hearing from people! everyone should bother me with their makorin headcanons!


End file.
